Department for Transport

Taxis: Wheelchairs

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they will take to prevent discrimination against disabled people by the operators of taxi services who do not offer taxis accessible by wheelchair users.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is essential that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services meet the needs of people wishing to use them. Licensing authorities have the powers required to determine the composition of their taxi and PHV fleets and we encourage them to use these to ensure both services are accessible to a range of passengers, including those who use wheelchairs. Under the Equality Act 2010 taxi and PHV operators already need to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled people to access their services; and from the 6th April drivers of vehicles designated as wheelchair accessible will be required to provide passengers in wheelchairs with assistance and to refrain from charging them extra.

Gospel Oak-Barking Railway Line

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect Network Rail to publish its review into the delayed completion of upgrade work on the Barking to Gospel Oak train line; and whether they intend to investigate the impact of skills retention on Network Rail's capacity to deliver future upgrade work.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Network Rail has carried out a series of internal reviews and has now commissioned an independent audit of the project. The review is due for completion in late spring 2017 and will be communicated to the Department for Transport and Transport for London.

Roads: Accidents

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people were killed or injured in road traffic accidents where the driver failed to stop at the scene of the accident in (1) 2015, and (2) 2016; and how many such offenders were convicted in each of those two years for causing death or injury by a motor vehicle.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The table below provides information on people who were killed or injured in road traffic accidents where the driver failed to stop at the scene of the accident. Casualties involved in accidents where at least one driver failed to stop at the scene, Great Britain, 2014 and 2015 YearSeverity of casualty   KilledSeriousSlight Total  2014691,59217,688 19,3492015811,63818,239 19,958 Figures for 2016 will be available from June 2017. The Department for Transport does not hold information about motoring offences or prosecutions. Prosecution information is held by the Ministry of Justice. It is not however possible to link reported road accident data to prosecution data.

Great Western Railway Line: Electrification

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 March, whether the electrification of the Great Western main line will include improved internal lighting in passenger carriages.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Two types of electric trains replace the existing diesel trains on the Great Western Main Line following electrification. Class 387 electric trains replace diesel commuter trains in the Thames Valley. They are brand new trains built by Bombardier to the most modern standards, including in respect of lighting and disabled accessibility. The first are already in service on the route between Hayes & Harlington and Paddington. The other type of train is the Intercity Express, which replaces diesel trains on the long-distance routes from Paddington. This is also a brand new train, built by Hitachi, again to the most modern standards, including in respect of lighting and disabled accessibility.

East Suffolk Railway Line

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 March (HL5764), what assessment they have made of the extent to which the use of a rail replacement bus service in place of passenger trains at less busy times on the rail line between Ipswich and Felixstowe would fulfil the public service obligations of (1) the operator, and (2) Network Rail.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: No assessment has been made by the Department of the extent to which the use of rail replacement bus service in place for passenger trains at less busy times on the rail line between Ipswich and Felixstowe would fulfil the public service obligation of the operator, and Network Rail.

Airports

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who is responsible for funding surface road and rail access to major airports in England.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government expects, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework 2013, the cost of any surface access works required solely to enable airport expansion to be met by the promoter. Where proposed projects have wider beneficiaries, the Government will expect the airport operator to fund an appropriate proportion of the costs based on the direct benefits for the airport.

Ministry of Defence

Special Forces: Females

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for women to join the special forces.

earl howe: The Government has a longstanding policy not to comment on Special Forces. In July 2016 the former Prime Minister announced that the previous exclusions on women serving in ground close combat (GCC) roles in the Armed Forces had now been lifted. Defence has opened certain Royal Armoured Corps units from November 2016, with all other GCC roles open by the end of 2018. This will enable implementation to be rolled out in a deliberate, responsible and methodical manner which will allow mitigation measures to be put in place. This is in the best interests of our people.

Military Corrective Training Centre Colchester

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, and of what rank, are currently detained in the Military Corrective Training Centre in Colchester.

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many military personnel, and of what rank, are engaged in training those currently detained in the Military Corrective Training Centre in Colchester.

earl howe: As of 13 March 2017, there are 55 detainees at the Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC) of which fewer than five are female. Their ranks are as follows: RankNumberAble Rating/Marine/Recruit/Private/Senior Aircraft Man44Petty Officer/Lance Corporal/Corporal7Civilians subject to Service discipline4 There are currently 23 military personnel at the MCTC delivering training to the detainees. Their ranks are as follows: RankNumberOfficers/Warrant Officers5Non-Commissioned Officers18 Notes:Ranks and gender have been grouped for disclosure purposes.

Armed Forces: Sexual Harassment

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many allegations of sexual harassment have been reported in (1) the Royal Navy, (2) the Army, and (3) the Royal Air Force, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many court martial or other disciplinary proceedings have taken place as a result of allegations of sexual harassment in (1) the Royal Navy, (2) the Army, and (3) the Royal Air Force, in each the last three years for which figures are available.

earl howe: All allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment made by members of the Armed Forces are thoroughly investigated by either the Civil or Service Police forces, depending upon who has jurisdiction. Over the last three years there have been four cases of sexual harassment reported to the Service Police or the Ministry of Defence Police in which they have retained jurisdiction for the matter. These are broken down as follows: YearServiceNumber of Cases2014Royal Navy12014Army12016Royal Navy12016Army1 Over the same period, there have been no cases of sexual harassment dealt with by way of a Summary Hearing. Cases of sexual harassment dealt with by Courts Martial are as follows:YearServiceNumber of DefendantsNumber of ChargesOutcome2014Royal Air Force122 x Guilty2014Army122 x Guilty2015Royal Air Force222 x Guilty2015Royal Navy111 x Guilty2016Army343 x Guilty 1 x Not Guilty2016Royal Navy111 x GuiltyThe Service Police figures may not represent the totality of allegations. To do so would require the manual interrogation of all offences investigated by the Service Police to establish whether there were any secondary offences of harassment. Similarly, whilst there were no offences of harassment dealt with by way of Summary Hearing during this period, it is possible that the cases may have been charged as an alternative Service conduct offence and dealt with summarily. It would not be possible to establish the extent of this without manually examining every conduct case dealt with summarily.

EU Defence Policy

lord stevens of ludgate: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Secretary of State for Defence approved the EU Security and Defence Implementation Plan at the European Council on 15 November 2016; and if so, in the light of the decision to leave the EU, what are their intentions with regard to further UK defence integration with the EU.

earl howe: European Union (EU) Member States have agreed Council Conclusions on the EU Security and Defence Implementation Plan, which aims to improve the effectiveness of the Common Security and Defence Policy. The UK ensured that those Conclusions are in line with our key principles of coherence with NATO, which remains the cornerstone of European defence, and keeping the European defence industry and technological base open and globally competitive. The UK remains strongly committed to European security and will remain so after we leave the EU. Defining the specifics of the UK's future foreign, security, and defence policy relationship with the EU will be subject to negotiation.

Military Aircraft: Procurement

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to purchasing V-22 Ospreys to enable air-to-air refuelling of F35B aircraft at the start and end of sorties.

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to purchasing V-22 Ospreys to enable long-range high-speed delivery of mission essential spares and stores to the Queen Elizabeth class when deployed.

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to purchasing V-22 Ospreys to enable long-range combat search and rescue.

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to purchasing V-22 Ospreys for use by the special forces.

earl howe: The V-22 Osprey is not part of the resourced plan to deliver the UK Carrier Strike capability. However, the Ministry of Defence will continue to explore a variety of options to augment the capabilities of the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers in future.

Military Aircraft

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the US Marine Corps F35B squadron which will embark on Queen Elizabeth will be accompanied by V-22 Ospreys.

earl howe: The Department continues to work closely with US counterparts to refine precise details of US Marine Corps participation in the inaugural operational deployment of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Shipping: Surveillance

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the UK's maritime assets are co-ordinated, using the intelligence provided by the National Maritime Intelligence Agency, to investigate, and if necessary intercept, ships and boats of concern approaching or in UK waters.

earl howe: Through the coordination of intelligence and information the National Maritime Information Centre provides the UK with a comprehensive picture of potential threats to UK maritime security and unified situational awareness of maritime activity in UK and international waters.The Ministry of Defence contributes to Her Majesty's Government's efforts by providing multi-layered capability to deter incursions into territorial waters. This is delivered through a combination of surface ships, submarines and aircraft, alongside close co-ordination and co-operation with other Government Agencies and our allies.I am not prepared to disclose further details as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Ministry of Defence: Assets

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what land or buildings owned by, leased by, or under the control of, the Ministry of Defence they are seeking to dispose of, and for what purposes.

earl howe: Land and buildings that the Ministry of Defence is seeking to dispose of are shown on the Department's Disposal Database, a copy of which is attached.The future use of any Defence land once sold is a matter for the new purchaser.



MOD's Department's Disposal Database
(Excel SpreadSheet, 29.35 KB)

Nuclear Weapons: Safety

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by the Nuclear Information Service, Playing with Fire, published in February, which documents 110 accidents, near misses and dangerous occurrences during the 65 years of the UK’s nuclear weapons programme, what steps they are taking to improve nuclear weapons safety.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes its responsibilities for the safety and security of nuclear weapons very seriously. The defence nuclear programme has never experienced an incident that has posed any risk to the public or the environment. Joint regulation by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the independent Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator helps the Department maintain this achievement, ensuring defence sites adhere to the same high standards as the civil nuclear programme. The safety of the public, our submarine crews, the defence workforce and the protection of the environment remain the MOD's priority.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Disasters

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' announcement on 26 January setting the 2017 time of the Doomsday Clock at two-and-a-half minutes to midnight; and what action they intend to take in response.

lord prior of brampton: We have made no assessment of recent changes to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ Doomsday Clock and therefore do not plan to take any action.

Energy: Prices

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their plans for the next Contracts for Difference bidding round; when they expect the round to open for bids; when they expect it to close; when they expect to announce the winners; how much funding is available; and whether they intend to apply any new conditions, different from Round 1, and if so, what.

lord prior of brampton: On 9 November 2016, we published information relating to the second Contracts for Difference (CFD) Allocation Round, which will open in April 2017. This included reconfirming the budget of £290m annual support for 15 years for ‘Pot 2’/less established technologies for projects starting to generate from 2021/22 or 2022/23.The CFD Counterparty Body - The Low Carbon Contracts Company - has published the CFD implementation plan, which sets out key indicative dates in relation to the second allocation round. The plan includes the shortest and longest likely duration from the allocation round opening to when contracts are awarded. This is approximately between 4 and 6 months depending on whether or not there are any reviews and appeals through the process.There are some variations from Round 1. The minima for wave and tidal, which applied to the 2015 CFD round, will not be extended as the expected costs for Wave and Tidal Stream remain high relative to other less expensive technologies in Pot 2.We have also introduced a temporary cumulative cap of 150MW (equivalent to a budget maximum of £70m) on fuelled technologies for this round. The Government believes that it is appropriate and proportionate to impose a temporary maxima while we review these technologies and consider the recent Call for Evidence on fuelled technologies in the CFD. Wave, tidal stream and fuelled technologies all remain eligible to compete in Pot 2 for CFD contracts, alongside geothermal and offshore wind, which will help to drive costs down.



CFD Implementation Plan
(PDF Document, 781.78 KB)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Iraq: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reports of fighting last week in Sinjar, between Kurdish forces, Peshmarga and PKK, and of the reported displacement of Yazidi families from Sinjar; and what is known about their whereabouts and well-being.

baroness anelay of st johns: ​We are aware of localised conflict on 3 March between Kurdish groups in Sinjar which resulted in seven fatalities. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) moved to contain the risk of escalation and calm was quickly restored. Due to the clash, a number of families from the surrounding area of Khanh Sor fled to Sinjar Mountain. The UN is assessing the situation and considering whether any assistance is required. We are monitoring the situation carefully and are in close contact with the Government in Baghdad, the KRG, and the Provincial Government in Ninewa Province.

Iraq: Islamic State

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that all British nationals fighting for ISIL or ISIS in Iraq who are captured are handed over to the Iraqi authorities for trial and punishment; and if found guilty, whether they intend to seek to intervene or have them repatriated to the UK.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Government is committed to ensuring there is no impunity for the heinous crimes committed by Daesh, as shown by the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson)'s launching of the Global Bringing Daesh to Justice campaign.We expect all suspected Daesh fighters to be processed by the Iraqi authorities in accordance with Iraqi law. We also expect the Iraqi authorities to inform us if they arrest any British National. Once notified of a detained British National, we will provide consular assistance on a case by case basis in the usual way.

Israel: Gaza

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will discuss with the government of Israel the lifting, in whole or in part, of the ban on entry into Gaza of specified dual-use products, and the impact of that ban on remaining industries in Gaza.

baroness anelay of st johns: We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly raise the need to make progress towards a durable solution for Gaza, and press for practical steps to advance reconstruction and economic development with both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. We have not specifically raised the issue of dual use products.

Israel: West Bank

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that approximately half of the structures in Susiya in Area C of the West Bank were funded by the EU, what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the pending demolition orders and about possible forced transfer of the residents to another location.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) expressed UK concern over demolitions in Area C to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu during his visit to Israel on 8 March. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has repeatedly raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain concerning the planned executions of Hussein Ali Mousa and Mohammed Ramadan.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain continue to closely monitor Mohammed Ramadan and Hussein Ali Mousa's cases. The UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty, and it is our longstanding policy to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances. We continue to raise concerns about these cases both in public and in private at the most senior levels. The Ombudsman and the Special Investigations Unit are continuing with investigations into complaints of torture in these cases. We encourage a swift, transparent conclusion to the investigations.

Bahrain: Human Rights

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to sign the Swiss resolution condemning human rights abuses in Bahrain at the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

baroness anelay of st johns: We understand the Swiss are no longer proposing a statement on Bahrain at the UN Human Rights Council. The UK referenced Bahrain in our National Statement under Item 2 delivered on 9 March.The UK will continue to engage the Government of Bahrain on its reform agenda, and where we have concerns about human rights we will continue to raise them at an appropriate level, both in private and in public.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the medical treatment of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

baroness anelay of st johns: We have expressed our broad concerns over treatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities on many occasions, including at Foreign Minister, Attorney General and National Security Adviser levels.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the UK will not sign a Swiss-led statement at the UN Human Rights Council, criticising human rights violations in Bahrain.

baroness anelay of st johns: We understand the Swiss are no longer proposing a statement on Bahrain at the UN Human Rights Council. The UK referenced Bahrain in our National Statement under Item 2 delivered on 9 March.The UK will continue to engage the Government of Bahrain on its reform agenda, and where we have concerns about human rights we will continue to raise them at an appropriate level, both in private and in public.

Kosovo: Serbia

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further steps they intend to take to encourage the process of high level dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, both bilaterally and through the EU, and how they will measure the success of that process.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK supports the process of high level dialogue through our financial contributions to the EU, bilateral assistance and political and diplomatic engagement.We measure progress through the implementation of agreements reached, the continued active engagement by both Serbia and Kosovo in the process, and broader progress in normalisation of their relations.

Kosovo: Politics and Government

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) what part they have played in making the Kosovo Assembly more accountable and transparent through NGOs such as Democracy 4 Development; and (2) what is their assessment of the prospects for an elected Assembly.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK is leading efforts to encourage a more accountable and transparent democratic process in Kosovo. We are working with 'Democracy 4 Development' to encourage more volunteering and civic activism. Since 2016, we have worked with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy to strengthen the transparency and accountability of all political parties. Previously, we have worked with local non-governmental organisations to establish the Public Accounts Committee, and to provide expertise to the Assembly Committee for Economic Development.

Kosovo: Air Pollution

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they have, through the EU or other channels, in reducing carbon emissions and improving the quality of air in Pristina and other industrial centres in Kosovo.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK is working with the EU and the World Bank to support the Kosovo government in reducing carbon emissions. We understand that the Government of Kosovo is committed to the implementation of EU-required measures on energy and the environment.

Kosovo: Minority Groups

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which non-governmental projects to eliminate poverty and improve social, educational and housing standards for the Roma and other minorities in Kosovo they support.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Government is funding four projects, which are being implemented by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or multilateral organisations in partnership with NGOs through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Bilateral Programme Fund (BPF). These projects are:Assistance to sustainable return and reintegration of displaced persons in Kosovo in support of UK security, reconciliation and conflict prevention priorities (CSSF)Socio-economic inclusion of minority communities into Kosovo society to support long term reconciliation and conflict prevention (CSSF)Inclusion of minority communities into Kosovo society and state institutions to support long term reconciliation and conflict prevention (CSSF)Support for integration and access to services for minority populations in Fushe Kosove/Kosovo Polje and Janjevo/a (BPF).

Overseas Trade: Kosovo

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to (1) encourage more UK investment in the private sector in Kosovo and (2) encourage trade with the UK, especially through small and medium-sized enterprises.

baroness anelay of st johns: We are encouraging more UK investment in Kosovo. A UK trade mission to Kosovo is planned for later this year which will include small and medium-sized businesses. The trade mission will strengthen existing business links following a UK/US Kosovo Trade and Investment Forum held in London in November, as well as forge new business opportunities between the two countries.

Attorney General

Offences against Children

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make public the identity of the witness known as Nick, and invite the Crown Prosecution Service to consider his prosecution for wasting police time in the case of Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, and other well-known figures.

lord keen of elie: Parliament has granted anonymity for complainants in sexual offences cases.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) acts independently of government under the superintendence of the Attorney General. If the police refer a case to the CPS to make a charging decision it will be considered in accordance with the two stage test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Prosecutors consider whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and, if so, whether a prosecution is needed in the public interest.

Department for International Development

Zimbabwe: Pensions

lord goodlad: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider making a contribution to the proposed Zimbabwe Public Service Pension Fund from either the aid programme or the superannuation fund.

lord bates: Responsibility for Zimbabwe’s public service pensioners rests with the Government of Zimbabwe. The Government will therefore not consider making a contribution from either UK aid funds, or the superannuation fund.

Department for International Development: Assets

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what land or buildings owned by, leased by, or under the control of, the Department for International Development they are seeking to dispose of, and for what purposes.

lord bates: DFID has 2 UK Headquarter buildings, 22 Whitehall and Abercrombie House in East Kilbride. Both are freehold. There are no plans to dispose of either building.

Department for Education

Sex and Relationship Education

lord northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision to make sex and relationship education compulsory in schools, whether they will consider requiring all schools that have male pupils to recognise and promote the importance of the role of fathers in society; and what steps they are taking to promote responsible fatherhood and appropriate preparation of boys and young men for responsible fatherhood.

lord northbourne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to encourage schools to recognise and promote the role fathers should play in preparing their sons for future fatherhood.

lord nash: All pupils, irrespective of gender, have the opportunity to learn about the responsibilities of fatherhood in non-statutory Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education or as part of the wider school curriculum. Schools are free to draw on the non-statutory programme of study produced by the PSHE Association in planning their provision. The programme of study includes topics on the roles and responsibilities of parents and the value of family relationships. Issues relating to parenting skills are included for pupils at key stage 3. Following the Government’s announcement of 1 March about proposals for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and PSHE, we plan to undertake a comprehensive programme of engagement with stakeholders about future provision in these areas. While we are not proposing to put content of the subjects on the face of legislation as this is too prescriptive and risks the legislation becoming out of date as the world changes, this process of engagement will enable us to get the balance of content right in guidance, enabling schools to design appropriate curricula. Regulations and statutory guidance will be subject to full public consultation later this year and the regulations will be subject to debate and vote in Parliament. Our plan is for schools to teach statutory Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and PSHE (subject to consideration and consultation), from September 2019.

Overseas Students: EU Nationals

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there has been a decline in the number of student applications from other EU countries to UK universities since June 2016.

viscount younger of leckie: The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publish data on the number of applications by the 15 January deadline. Data for the 2017 application cycle shows there were 187,470 applications from EU domiciled applicants, which is above the 157,170 applications made in 2010, but lower than the 202,250 applications in 2016. Note that UCAS data covers applications to full-time undergraduate courses only. Table 1: Applications to UK providers from EU domiciled applicants by the 15 January deadline.Year20102011201220132014201520162017Applications157,170177,300157,890166,620176,560190,330202,250187,470

English Language: Education

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need to provide courses in English as a Second Language for refugees; and what additional resources are planned for this purpose.

lord nash: The government supports English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as part of its wider strategy to improve adult literacy in England, support integration and break down barriers to employment. As soon as adults are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, they become eligible for skills funding – including for fully-funded ESOL courses - through a provider’s education budget that is drawn from the Adult Education Budget for England. In 2015/16 over £90m was drawn from the Adult Education Budget to support all types of ESOL funding. In December 2016 an additional £3 million was also distributed to colleges and other providers that deliver to learners in the areas identified by DWP as having the greatest ESOL need. In addition, all local authorities resettling Syrian families through the resettlement scheme must offer English language provision within a month of them arriving, and government is providing substantial funding to support this, including an additional £10m of ESOL funding which we announced in September last year.

Children in Care

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the cost of the care system for looked-after children in England and Wales for each year from 2006 to 2016.

lord nash: Since April 2010, local authorities in England have reported spending on children looked after through an annual return to the department (Section 251 returns; available on GOV.UK).Local authority net current expenditure on children looked after in England: 2005-2006 to 2015-2016 (£, billions)2005-20062006-20072007-20082008-20092009-20102010-20112011-20122012-20132013-20142014-20152015-2016N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A2.93.03.43.53.63.8Source: Section 251 returns  Note: 2011-12 and 2012-13 figures are not directly comparable due to changes in the categories included between the two years. In addition, spending on social work directly involved with the care of children and with the commissioning of services for children is captured separately within the Section 251 collection. It is not possible to separate out expenditure for social work related to children looked after only.The department does not hold this information for Wales.

Ministry of Justice

Probate: Fees and Charges

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between the value of a deceased person’s estate and the cost of grant of probate; and whether the increases in the latter announced in the Budget represent the costs associated with the grant or will raise a surplus in addition to those costs.

lord keen of elie: On Friday 24 February 2017, after careful consideration of responses to consultation, the Government announced its intention to introduce a new banded system of fees for grants of probate, subject to Parliamentary approval. The original Government consultation and the response can both be found on the Ministry of Justice consultation hub website. In 2015/16, the Government spent around £1.9 billion on our courts and tribunals and recovered only around £700m through fees and other income. The new probate fees are fair and proportionate in that they are linked to the value of the estate. Our plan to raise the threshold under which no probate fee is payable from £5,000 to £50,000 will ensure that more than half of estates will pay no fee at all. No one will pay more than 1% of the total estate value in fees. Parliament has given the Lord Chancellor the power, through section 180 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, to set court and tribunal fees above the cost of the service. All of the additional income that the fees will raise must be reinvested back into our courts and tribunals. The Government is committed to providing a modern, world-leading justice system which is proportionate and accessible. Fees are necessary to support an effective courts and tribunals system that supports victims and vulnerable people, and is easy for ordinary people to use.

Homicide

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need for changes to the offence of manslaughter by gross negligence, in the light of the Court of Appeal ruling that the conviction of Dr David Sellu was not safe.

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government in respect of the offence of manslaughter by gross negligence (1) how many case have been prosecuted, (2) how many cases have been successfully prosecuted, and (3) how many convictions have been quashed on appeal, in each of the last 10 years.

lord keen of elie: The law relating to manslaughter by gross negligence was clarified in the case of R v Adomako (1994) where a four stage test, known as the Adomako Test, was outlined by the House of Lords. Before convicting a defendant of gross negligence manslaughter a jury has to be satisfied that: (a) that there was the existence of a duty of care to the deceased;(b) that there was a breach of that duty of care;(c) that the breach of that duty of care caused (or significantly contributed) to the death of the victim; and(d) that the breach of the duty of care “departed so far from accepted standards” as to be characterised as gross negligence, and therefore a crime. The Government takes the view that the Adamako Test continues to provide effective and appropriate guidance in aiding the determination of gross negligence manslaughter cases. In allowing Dr Sellu’s appeal, the Court of Appeal did not call for the law to be changed, and the Government has no plans to reform the law in this area.The overall statistics on manslaughter are available in the ‘Criminal Justice Statistics’ series at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2015. Statistics are not separately captured on whether a case of manslaughter occurred as a result of gross negligence.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Channel Four Television: Public Appointments

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 2 March (HL5545), whether the female candidate did not meet the skills and experience set out in the advertised job descriptions; and what account the Secretary of State took of her gender and ethnic background.

lord ashton of hyde: Ofcom advertised for four vacancies for candidates with specific sector skills and experience. The Secretary of State approved the four candidates on the basis that they met the skills and experience set out the advertised job descriptions. The government is committed to ensuring diversity within public appointments. The Cabinet Office aspiration is for 50% of new appointments made by each Government Department to go to female candidates, and 10% to candidates from a BAME background. This target is also contained within the DCMS Departmental Plan, and, in the first three quarters of 2016/17, 56% of new DCMS appointments went to women and 16% to BAME candidates.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 2 March (HL5547), how many (1) female candidates, and (2) candidates from a BAME background, were appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the first three quarters of 2016–17; and what are the proportions of (a) women, (b) BAME people, and (c) people with disabilities, employed by those parts of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport covered by its Departmental Plan.

lord ashton of hyde: From 1st April 2016 to 31st December 2016, there were 131 new starters in the department. Of these: 65 were female 13 were from a BAME background* On 1st February 2017, the proportion of people actively declaring as each of the following protected characteristics was: a) Female: 51% b) BAME: 13% c) Disabled: 5% The figures above include permanent and fixed term employees as well as loans/secondments in to the department and employees on paid maternity leave. * It should be noted that among the 131 new starters there is an ethnicity declaration rate of 47%. That is, of the 61 DCMS starters who have actively declared their ethnicity, 13 were from a BAME background.

Broadband: Rural Areas

earl cathcart: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the UK Digital Strategy published on 1 March, and their long-standing commitment to fast broadband, when all remote rural areas can expect to receive broadband speeds better than 1.5 megabits per second; and when they will implement the new Universal Service Obligation, announced on 6 December 2016, providing a legal right to request affordable, fast broadband on demand at 10 megabits per second.

lord ashton of hyde: We have committed to introducing the new broadband Universal Service Obligation in this Parliament, giving everyone the legal right to request a connection of at least 10Mbps, which will meet the typical needs of a UK household and support small businesses. All homes and businesses can now gain access to broadband speeds of 2 Megabits per second (mbps) through the Government’s Better Broadband Scheme (https://basicbroadbandchecker.culture.gov.uk/). 2mbps is sufficient to access every government service online. Through the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) programme, the similarly named Better Broadband for Norfolk scheme is bringing superfast broadband access to homes and businesses across the county. The BDUK superfast broadband programme only invests where there is no commercial superfast provision now or planned in the next 3 years and seeks to maximise the value from public investment, by upgrading the greatest number of premises for the least amount of public money required. We understand you have a particular interest in the village of Gately. Although Gately is not currently in an active phase, there will be later phases funded by gain-share and project savings which may increase coverage in the village. It is worth noting that most of the village is already served by the fixed wireless provider WiSpire, who advertise speeds of up to 40Mbps, although this would be dependent on various issues such as the local topography. A more accurate estimation can be obtained by contacting WiSpire directly. A link to their website can be found here: https://wispire.co.uk/. Other providers are also available in the area, such as Thinking Wisp: http://www.thinkingwisp.co.uk/, who may also be able to provide a service.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

lord farmer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the introduction of Universal Credit on the existence and size of couples penalties; whether this differs from the impact arising from existing benefits, and if so why; and whether couples penalties increase or decrease depending on the income of those claiming Universal Credit.

lord henley: The information requested is not available and to collect it would incur disproportionate cost

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Inland Waterways: Repairs and Maintenance

lord german: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency's budget to maintain its navigable waterways.

lord gardiner of kimble: As a navigation authority, the Environment Agency is responsible for over 1,000km of inland waterways. It takes its stewardship role very seriously and works closely with those who use our waterways. As part of the 2015 Spending Review, the Environment Agency’s capital settlement from Defra was £13m to invest over the next four years. This funding will enable the Environment Agency to prioritise the investment across England’s waterways focusing on those assets which will benefit the most. In addition to this capital investment, the Environment Agency will continue to invest the £9m per annum income collected via registration charges from waterway users. This is complemented by further Environment Agency annual investment; for 2017/18 this will be £3.6m. In total, this is sufficient to maintain navigable waterways for 2017/18. The Environment Agency is reviewing the future costs required to run and maintain these waterways as part of the potential transfer of its navigation responsibilities and assets to the Canal & River Trust. As part of this process the Environment Agency will engage with both users and Defra on the future investment needed to maintain navigable waterways.

Canal and River Trust

lord german: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Canal and River Trust to assume responsibility for the Environment Agency's navigable inland waterways.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government’s long-term aim is to transfer the Environment Agency’s navigations to the Canal & River Trust. We are open to sensible and serious proposals from both the Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust and I understand that they have been working well together to develop options. I await their proposals with interest.

Forests

baroness parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 21 November (HL3031), what plans they have to implement the collective action to take forward pledges to address deforestation to which they are committed under the Amsterdam Declaration.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK contributes to the Amsterdam Declaration through supporting the development of a strategy which focuses on shared learning across signatory countries and different commodity user groups in those countries, as well as encouraging further action on eliminating deforestation. The UK also supports the Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA), a public-private initiative with over 90 member organisations, which is mobilising action to take deforestation out of supply chains for palm oil, pulp and paper, beef and soya. The TFA Africa Palm Oil Initiative recently secured the Marrakesh Declaration on palm oil, under which seven countries and major companies have agreed principles for responsible palm oil in the region. These include respect for human and community rights and no deforestation. The UK has also established the Partnership for Forests Programme. This offers support for public-private partnerships focused on producing agricultural commodities without causing deforestation.

Home Office

Asylum

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government,further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb cols 1860–1861) about unaccompanied child refugees, what is their response to the report by the British Red Cross Can’t Stay, Can’t Go concerning refused asylum seekers who cannot be returned.

baroness williams of trafford: We are reviewing the report and its findings, but our position remains that individuals who have been found not to need protection and have exhausted all legal avenues in the UK are expected to take steps to leave the UK as soon as possible. If they do not, we will seek to enforce their removal. The Immigration Act 2016 (‘the Act’) includes measures to remove incentives for migrants to remain in the UK where they have no lawful basis for doing so. However, failed asylum seekers, including failed asylum seeking families may be eligible for ongoing support while there is a genuine obstacle to their departure. As now, what constitutes a genuine obstacle is expected to include non-receipt of a travel document or a medical reason why they cannot travel. We would to continue to expect failed asylum seekers to demonstrate they are taking all reasonable steps to leave the UK. We want to support those who genuinely need our protection, but also send out a very clear message to those who seek to use the system to gain an unfair immigration advantage.

Refugees: English Language

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb cols 1860–1861) about unaccompanied child refugees, what is their response to the report by Refugee Action Locked out of learning: A snapshot of ESOL provision in England concerning the waiting times to access English language classes faced by refugees.

baroness williams of trafford: The government supports English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as part of its wider strategy to improve adult literacy in England, support integration and break down barriers to employment. As soon as adults are granted refugee status or humanitarian protection they become eligible for skills funding – including for ESOL courses - through a provider’s adult education budget. In addition to the existing funding, an additional £3 million was distributed to colleges and other providers that deliver to learners in the areas identified by the government as having the greatest ESOL need. All of the geographical areas cited by Refugee Action in its report have received additional funding in December 2016.

Refugees: Families

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb cols 1860–1861) about unaccompanied child refugees, what is their response to the briefing note by the Refugee Council, Oxfam UK, the British Red Cross and Amnesty International UK Together again: Reuniting refugee families in safety – what the UK can do.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb cols 1860–1861) about unaccompanied child refugees, what is their response to UNICEF UK’s examination of the risks facing refugee and migrant children crossing the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy in their report A deadly journey for children: The central Mediterranean route.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL Deb cols 1860–1861) about unaccompanied child refugees, what is their response to the statement by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner published on 22 February, in particular with respect to his call to address the strain on the Dublin III system; and when they intend to consult him on his assessment of the likely impact of any changes on the scale of trafficking of unaccompanied children.

baroness williams of trafford: We support the principle of family unity and have several routes for families to be reunited safely. Our family reunion policy allows a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. We have granted around 23,000 family reunion visas over the last five years. The Government is also fully committed to the timely and efficient operation of the Dublin Regulation, including the family reunification provisions.The Government works upstream with the aim to stem flows from Libya to Italy. The UK is contributing to the EU’s Operation Sophia, which to date has successfully saved over 31,000 lives in the Central Mediterranean. The UK government is providing a £7.5 million package of direct emergency humanitarian assistance – to tackle people smuggling, improve conditions in detention centres and support migrants and asylum seekers, including children, transiting through Libya.We are working internationally to help prevent vulnerable people from becoming victims of modern-slavery and other forms of exploitation. The Prime Minister (PM) pledged £30m of official development assistance to protect and support victims of trafficking as well saving lives and offering long term solutions to refugees and migrants rescued at sea. The PM Taskforce is also making progress bringing the collective weight of Government to bear. We are already seeing progress in intelligence gathering and are developing our international strategy to tackle the threat overseas and deepen law enforcement cooperation. This will enable us to investigate, prosecute and otherwise disrupt the activity of slave-drivers and traffickers of human beings. We also work closely with Europol and Eurojust to facilitate cross-border operations and joint investigations with European law enforcement agencies. We will continue to engage closely with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner on the issues of human trafficking and exploitation.

Radicalism: Birmingham

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have given any consideration to setting up a special joint departmental task force, including the Security Service and Special Branch, to target Islamist extremism in Birmingham with the objectives of (1) reducing the potential for terrorist attacks, (2) taking national control of all schools where there have been reports of so-called Trojan Horse activities to impose a radical Islamic curriculum, (3) creating more integration between Muslims, and, (4) taking responsibility from Birmingham City Council for tackling deprivation in wards with large Muslim populations.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government takes terrorism and extremism very seriously and is tackling both through its CONTEST and Counter Extremism Strategies. Working in partnership with local areas - like Birmingham - is a key component to success. The Government has taken, and will continue to take, strong action to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools or anywhere else. Integration was the subject of Dame Louise Casey’s Government commissioned review, which reported in December 2016. The Government will respond in the spring.

HM Treasury

Public Expenditure

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of public spending was accounted for by (1) national insurance-funded pensions, including SERPS and the additional pension, and (2) UK health expenditure, in (a) 1979, (b) 1997, (c) 2010, and (d) 2016.

baroness neville-rolfe: The requested information is set out in the following table:  1978-791996-972009-102015-16(1) National insurance-funded pensions (£billion)([1])7.632.066.889.3as a percentage of Total Managed Expenditure9.5%9.9%9.7%11.9% (2) UK Health Expenditure (£billion)([2])7.842.8116.9138.7as a percentage of Total Managed Expenditure9.8%13.2%16.9%18.4% Total Managed Expenditure (£billion)([3])79.7323.9692.5753.0 (3) Data published by the Office for National Statistics consistent with the Public ExpenditureStatistical Analyses 2016. [1]. Benefit expenditure and caseload tables published by the Department of Work and Pensions.[2]. Table 4.2 of Public Expenditure and Statistical Analyses 2016 published by HM Treasury, and the equivalent table for 1978-79 data[3]. Data published by the Office of National Statistics consistent with the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2016

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Mobile Phones

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many smartphones have been issued to (1) ministers, and (2) senior civil servants, from public funds in each of the last three years.

lord young of cookham: The information requested is not held centrally.

Government Departments: Mobile Phones

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether WhatsApp and other instant messaging applications are enabled on smartphones issued to ministers and senior civil servants; and if so, what guidance is provided for their use.

lord young of cookham: Only applications specifically approved for use on Cabinet Office-issued OFFICIAL smartphones are accessible to Ministers and Civil Servants within the department.The use of such applications is subject to strict conditions of use including acceptable use guidelines and departmental records management policy, which govern what systems may be used for and how records of such communications are retained, in line with our legal obligations and the Civil Service code.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Housing: Construction

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how all future housing, including low cost housing, can be designed to be aesthetically attractive, sensitive to the character of where it is situated and free from easy stigmatisation as the homes of the socially less affluent; and what action they are taking in this regard.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment. We are encouraging well-designed housing through strong messages in our National Planning Policy Framework and Practice Guidance and through a range of programmes, including Estates Regeneration and garden villages, towns and cities. In addition, the Homes and Communities Agency has published a number of guidance documents around design and sustainability providing practical, delivery related knowledge, research findings and good practiceThe Framework is clear that permission should be refused for development of poor design, that significant weight should be attached to truly outstanding or innovative designs and that local planning authorities should have local design review arrangements in place to provide assessment and support to ensure high standards of design.We want to ensure that communities can influence the design of what gets built in their area. As set out in our Housing White Paper, we propose to amend the National Planning Policy Framework to increase the emphasis on design and community engagement in local and neighbourhood plans and other development plan documents so that more certainty is given on design. This will include strengthening the importance of early pre-application discussions about design and the types of homes to be provided and recognising the value of using a widely accepted design standard, such as Building for Life, in shaping and assessing basic design principles. We will also make further funding available to neighbourhood planning groups from 2018-2021 so they can access support they might need including for better design and provide new funding to boost the capacity and capability of local authorities. We are also planning to diversify the market to encourage wider use of custom build which enables homebuyers to be directly involved in the design of their new home.

Housing: Construction

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that future housing policy takes account of issues of community, accessibility of good transport facilities, social and cultural amenities and medical care are central to proposals; and what action they are taking in this regard.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should plan positively for the development and infrastructure required in their local area, through their Local Plans. It asks local planning authorities to:- identify priority areas for viable infrastructure, and work with neighbouring authorities and transport providers to develop plans for its provision, including roads and transport links, social and cultural amenities and medical provision;- work to create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians, and give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements;- plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship and other local services and guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services.This Government further recognises the importance of infrastructure with our £2.3 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, which will open for bids this year. The need for infrastructure to support development is a material consideration in deciding whether development is appropriate for a particular location.The Framework is clear that local planning authorities should create a shared vision with communities of the residential environment and facilities they wish to see. To support this, local planning authorities should aim to involve all sections of the community in the development of Local Plans and in planning decisions, and should facilitate neighbourhood planning.

Housing: Construction

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how all new housing, including low cost housing, can have trees, space and gardens in its immediate environment; and what action they are taking in this regard.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The National Planning Policy Framework recognises the importance of access to high quality open spaces. It explains that local planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the needs for open space, sports and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision.The Framework also encourages local communities, through local and neighbourhood plans, to identify green areas of particular importance to them for special protection by designating them as Local Green Space.The Framework is clear that local authorities should set out a strategic approach in their Local Plans, planning positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructureIn addition, when granting planning permission local planning authorities have a duty to ensure, whenever appropriate, that planning conditions are used to provide for tree preservation and planting.

Department of Health

Abortion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the HSA4 abortion notification form for practitioners terminating a pregnancy remains up to date.

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to update the HSA4 abortion notification form for practitioners terminating a pregnancy; and if so when, and in what way.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department keeps the content of the HSA4 abortion notification form under review. There are currently no plans to update the form.

Abortion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that a sufficient number of medical doctors are trained to perform abortions in the UK, in the light of the fact that the majority of abortions are performed in the independent sector and not in the NHS.

lord o'shaughnessy: The President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is leading a programme of work to address this issue, working with the Department and other national organisations.

Lanosterol

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the efficacy of the drug lanosterol in reducing cataracts.

lord o'shaughnessy: The drug Lanosterol is not licensed for human use in the United Kingdom. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the licensing of medicinal products according to legislation set out in European Directive 2001/83 EC. The MHRA's primary aim is the protection of public health, for which an important objective is assessing the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines, and authorising their sale or supply in the UK for human use. A medicine can only become licenced if an application is made to the MHRA for a licence, usually by the manufacturer, demonstrating that the product meets the required standards of safety, quality and efficacy. In their role as a regulator, the MHRA is not in a position to hold product licences or to solicit for new product licence applications. There has been no evidence submitted to MHRA to support the use of Lanosterol in humans at present. There have been no applications for UK clinical trials or marketing authorisations for this product. Under their terms of service, general practitioners and hospital doctors are allowed to prescribe any medicinal product, including any unlicensed medicinal product, which they consider necessary for the treatment of their patients and under their clinical responsibility. They should always satisfy themselves that the medicinal products or other substances they consider appropriate for their patients can be safely prescribed, that patients are adequately monitored and that, where necessary, expert hospital supervision is available. We would expect clinicians to also seek informed consent from their patients on the basis that there are risks associated with using an unlicensed medicine as well as potential therapeutic benefit(s). Patients should also be informed that the licensing assessment of the medicine for unlicensed use will not have taken place.